The 71st Hunger Games: The Story of a Typical Career
by gtwinklepuff
Summary: Glow is a typical career who is ready to fight to the death in the 71st Hunger Games to bring pride to her family, and to her district. What she doesn't know is that the games affect everyone, even the strongest of careers.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

I am abruptly awaken as the covers are pulled off my body and the cool air hits my bare legs. Light is flooding my room and I slowly open my eyes to see Flame standing by the window. I look at my nineteen year old brother bitterly.

"Flame, why so early?"

"Well today is a very special day for you Glow, you are volunteering at the reaping, remember?"

Thats right, today is my fourth and last reaping. My brother, mother, and father all volunteered and won the games at age fifteen. Now it was my turn to carry on the tradition.

"I also stopped by to give you this." I watched Flame reach into his pocket and pull out a gold ring. The family heirloom, a gold band with the initials of my last name, Emerygold, engraved on the outside. It is hanging around a gold chain. Flame walks over to me and fastens it around my neck. "Your district token, wear it at all times during the games and it will bring you luck, see you in a bit." He leaves my room leaving me alone in my thoughts.

I stand up and walk over to my mirror and proceed to brush my blonde hair while staring out the window at the spectacular view of the Nut. Out of all the amazing places, people, and things here in District 2, the Nut is the most spectacular of them all. What looks like an ordinary mountain is in reality the powerhouse of our districts economy and, with closer observation, I can see it buzzing with life. I snap out of my haze and proceed to get dressed in a green dress with a gold belt and sandals. The dress is the same color green as my eyes, the gold is a nice highlight that really brings out the best of my features. I had to look my best today for the potential sponsors.

Once I am done getting ready I quietly sit on my bed and play with the ring hanging around my neck. It was my father's, he wore it in his games and then later gave it to my mother to wear in her's. My parents first met at my mother's games when he was her mentor, it was love at first sight. My brother had worn the ring in his games when he won, and now he was going to be my mentor as I carried on the family tradition. I look out the window at the Nut for what could be the last time before heading downstairs to make my way to the district square.

On the street I run into Crome, the district's most recent victor and my brother's best friend. "Hey Glow, feeling ready?" he asks.

"Oh you know as ready as I will ever be." my voice sounds nervous and I curse silently. In truth I was nervous, I was young, most career volunteers were eighteen, I was just fifteen. I swallowed down my doubt and looked to Crome.

"You sound doubtful, but you really shouldn't be, you'll make your family proud." Crome puts his arm around my shoulder and I blush slightly. Not only was Crome my brother's best friend but he was also my biggest crush and first kiss. I blush again as I remember that day. My brother was in his games, he was knocking on deaths door, starving and weak from an infected injury. Crome was at our house watching and reassuring. I remember when he came and comforted me when he saw that I had slipped out of the room clearly upset. I kissed him that night, he was a few years older so he pulled away and was very polite about it, I was a bit hurt but his emotional support was something I would never forget. My brother ended up winning because he had enough sponsors to buy him medicine and supplies. Hopefully I got that many sponsors, thats why I needed to look good today.

"You are betting on me right?" I flirtily ask Crome.

"Of course I am, why would I not." He replies with a smile. I take that moment to jump on his shoulders to try and tackle him to the ground. His victor reflexes cause him to react fast enough and I am suddenly pinned on the ground. I laugh and look up into his hazel eyes, wow he really was the definition of tall, dark, and handsome.

"I let you win, I hope you know that. I am leaving the real stuff for the games," I tell him. He helps me up and we continue walking to the district square. When we arrive I say goodbye and go to the fifteen year old section and find my best friend Clove. She gives me a reassuring smile knowing that I was going to volunteer. I give her a tight hug, she was always encouraging and supportive despite what her family thought of me. I smile and look up to see the district escort walking across stage. I take a deep breath knowing what was coming. The escort, Maya, walks over to the female bowl and pulls out a name.

"This years district 2 female tribute is Eva—"

"I volunteer." My voice is even and rings out across the square. Everyone turns to look at me as I walk to the stage and mount the steps.

"What is your name dear?" Maya asks me.

"Glow Emerygold" I reply confidently as I send a smirk to Flame.

"District 2 meet your female tribute, Glow Emerygold." The crowd cheers. "Now for the males." Maya walks over to the bowl of names and pulls out a slip of paper. Again she is cut off from reading the name as a boy from the sixteen year old section volunteers. I recognize him immediately as Rage, he was in one of my hand to hand combat classes, he is a good fighter. He has a sweet baby face but I know not to underestimate him.

"What is your name?" Maya asks.

"Rage Castile," he replies, his voice and face are devoid of any emotion.

"I give you Glow Emerygold and Rage Castile, your 71st Hunger Games tributes from District 2." Maya announces to the crowd and holds our hands up in the air. The crowd goes wild and I suddenly feel a smile creep across my face. I was already feeling like a winner.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

In the justice building my parents come in to say goodbye. My mother gives me a soft hug and wishes me luck. "I'll see you in a few weeks mom." She just nods and smiles. My dad gives me a pat on the back and tells me that I will do great. We sit holding hands for a while and making small talk, my parents being totally calm about their daughter being sent to a fight to the death. When the peacekeepers come in I give my parents one last hug and they silently leave the room. My brother doesn't visit, I will see him on the train. Next is Crome, he bursts in the room and engulfs me in a giant hug.

"You know I will be back before you know it," I tell him. Still he doesn't let go.

"I just wanted to say goodbye, I mean you will be gone for about a month you know." I hear a slight quiver in his voice. He's actually worried. He still hasn't let go and I enjoy his embrace. We stand there enjoying each others company and contact. When the peacekeepers come in to get him he leans down and gives me a soft peck on the lips and walks out. I touch my lips, the feeling of his lips lingers, and I blush. I am still flustered when Clove walks in to say goodbye. She tells me to basically hurry up and kill everyone so she doesn't have to stay bored at home all day with her annoying parents. I tell her that I will try to make it fast. We share a few more laughs before she leaves. After Clove, a few more of my friends come in to wish me luck and by the end I am ready to go meet my brother on the train.

Once on the train I meet the other District 2 mentor Celia. She is quiet, nothing like my brother, but she seems very capable. I see Rage sitting by a window waving at his friends and family as the train pulls away. I go and sit next to him.

"Hi Rage we haven't really met before but I was in your hand to hand class, I'm Glow." He looks at me and responds with a simple hey before going back to staring out the window. I am a bit thrown off guard, he was going to be my most trusted ally in the game, I needed to get to know him. "So you're a volunteer huh?" I ask him. Again just a one word answer of yeah. I sigh after a few more minutes of a failed attempt at small talk and give up. I cut right to the chase.

"Listen Rage one or both of us is going to be dead in just a few weeks however I am hopeful that one of us will make it out. To win we need to be allies and we need to have many sponsors. Being cold and distant is not a good way to make allies or get sponsors, do you get what I am saying here?" He turns to me and actually looks at me for longer than a second. I can see him processing my words and deciding what he should say.

"I am just trying to make it easier on me, the closer I get to you the harder it will be to kill you when the time comes." This takes me a little by surprise. I wasn't even thinking about having to kill my district partner but I correct him any way.

" _If_ the time comes, lets hope it doesn't come to that." He just nods and an awkward silence between us ensues. Luckily we are saved by Maya as she bounces into the train car announcing that it was time to watch the other reapings.

We go to the other room where Celia and Flame are waiting. I walk over to Flame and he nudges me in the shoulder. I look up at him and he raises and eyebrow wondering what Rage and I had been talking about. I just sigh and shrug my shoulders before turning to the TV. The picture shows District 1 and their outrageously dressed escort drawing a name out of the female bowl. Before she can even read the name a girl volunteers. Her name is Ebony and I immediately don't trust her. She seems almost like a snake, deadly. She would have to be my ally though, all of the careers stuck together. There is no doubt that she will get sponsors though, she is beautiful and mysterious with pitch black hair and porcelain skin and very calculating eyes. Next is the males, the boy that volunteers is huge. He is six feet five inches of pure muscle with a face lacking emotion. He wouldn't hesitate to kill anyone that got in his way. He would be a strong ally but I made a mental note to watch my back around him.

Next is the recap of District 2's reaping. We look great. When District 3's reaping is on, a twelve year old boy is chosen, no one volunteers. I can't help but feel sad for the poor boy who would barely even survive the first day. The girl that is chosen is an eighteen year old who looks rather healthy compared to most of the washed out faces of District 3. She looks determined and very pissed, definitely a fighter. District 4's reaping is next and the boy that volunteers is definitely one of the most attractive males I have ever seen, even compared to Crome. The girl is then reaped second, very unusual but I don't think much of it. The name that is read creates a silence amongst the crowd, there are no volunteers. I watch as the thirteen year old girl mounts the stairs, her golden skin and hair looking familiar. The camera goes over to the male tribute and I make the connection of the familiarity of the girl. His face has changed from excitement to fear, not for him but for his sister that has just been reaped. One or both of them would die.

We watch the rest of the reapings in silence, Rage and I both taking notes. I look down to my list of possible inconveniences.

Bonnie: Female. District 3. Age: 18

Charolette: Female. District 5. Age:17

Manny: Male. District 7. Age: 18

Theo: Male. District 11. Age:18

I study my list and notice a distinct pattern amongst the people who might be threats. They are all older, practically adults, and I am only a fifteen year old girl going to fight to the death in the Hunger Games.


End file.
